A residential gas explosion, reportedly due to a gas cylinder leak, led to the tragic loss of three children in Shamsabad. The incident also left their mother and another sibling with severe burns, affecting almost 70% of their bodies. The incident unfolded within the jurisdiction of the Sadiqabad police station.
Local residents report persistent gas shortages in the area, leading to a majority of households, including the ill-fated family, resorting to gas cylinders for their cooking needs.
Muhammad Shahid, the father of the family, lost his three children in the fire, suspected to be ignited by a gas leak. At the time of the incident, his wife Noreen Shahid, aged 35, and all five children were at home.
The explosion is believed to have happened as Noreen was preparing breakfast. Lighting a match triggered a massive explosion and subsequent fire that consumed the entire house.
The blast was so powerful that it shattered windows and doors, reducing the household furniture to ashes.
Local community members promptly alerted the relevant rescue authorities and fire department upon witnessing flames and dense smoke billowing from the house’s windows, obscuring visibility completely.
Rescue 1122 reached the site promptly with two fire tenders and two ambulances to combat the blaze.
While dousing the flames, rescuers discovered two children on the living room bed, unfortunately, succumbed to the intense fire. They also found Noreen and two other children severely burned and immediately transported them to the Holy Family Hospital. One child later succumbed to injuries while at the hospital.
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The deceased children were identified as 12-year-old Alishba, eight-year-old Shahzeb, and two-year-old Muhammad. The mother and her five-year-old daughter, Fatima, are currently being treated in the hospital’s burn unit.
According to a Rescue 1122 spokesperson, both Noreen and Fatima sustained 70% burns and remain in critical condition.
Confirming initial assessments, the spokesperson revealed that a gas cylinder leak is suspected to have triggered the catastrophic incident. As the house was sealed overnight, accumulated gas likely caused the explosion.
Despite the tragedy, they lauded the fire department’s swift response in controlling the fire, ensuring the safety of adjacent buildings and promptly transporting the injured to the hospital.
Local law enforcement officers from the Sadiqabad police station have visited the site to assess the situation and recorded an incident report. They believe the devastating event appears to be accidental, and the deceased children’s bodies have been handed over to the family.
